Stamford · mutual since 1851
Big bank offerings. Community bank service.
First County Bank is an independent, mutual community bank. No stock, no outside shareholders, fourteen branches, and the same county for over 170 years. The rates on the right are the ones we publish, not the ones we advertise.
FDIC-InsuredBacked by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government
Deposit rates
Effective July 31, 2026
| High Yield Checkingbalances to $15,000, qualifiers met | 5.00% |
| FirstMaturedCD Savingsbalances over $1.00 | 4.00% |
| 3 Month CDnew money to the Bank | 4.00% |
| 18 Month No Penalty CDwithdraw in full after six days | 3.65% |
APY is the annual percentage yield. Rates and terms are subject to change without notice. Fees could reduce earnings. Full rate sheet and disclosures.
1851
The Stamford Savings Bank opens on Main Street
14
branches across seven Fairfield County towns
170+ yrs
serving the same county, without interruption
6 yrs
running as a Hearst CT Top Workplace, 2020 to 2025
Where the money goes
The difference starts with who owns the Bank.
On September 20, 1851, Hezekiah Satterlee opened Account Number 1 with $5. The new institution was to have no stock, and its profits were to be paid to depositors in dividends or held in reserve for their greater security. By the first Statement of Condition deposits stood at $8,708.48 and loans at $7,659.00.
Nothing about that structure has changed. There is still no stock. Which is why the decision on your loan is made by people who live in the towns it is secured in, and why a 150th anniversary in 2001 was marked by founding a grant-making foundation rather than a share buyback.
- 1851The Stamford Savings Bank opens on Main Street. Account Number 1, $5.
- 1886Stamford reaches 15,000 people. A three storey Victorian brick building earns the nickname it kept for a century: The Old Red Bank.
- 1961Deposits pass $150,000,000 and the first branch opens at 19 Corbin Drive, Darien.
- 2001The 150th anniversary. The First County Bank Foundation, Inc. is established to make yearly grants to local nonprofits.
- TodayFourteen branches in Stamford, Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan, Norwalk, Westport and Fairfield.
Four desks, one bank
So the range is wide and the desk stays local.
Deposit products, mortgage, trust and estate planning, digital banking and business banking, all in the same building at 3001 Summer Street.
Personal banking
Paying bills, setting money aside for a rainy day, planning a retirement, financing a car. A range of personal accounts can be opened online; the minimum deposit on a checking account is $50.00.
Business banking
Nonprofit, small business or large corporation, borrowing and cash management. Attorneys opening an IOLTA pay no fees for incoming or outgoing domestic wire transfers, with a 4:00 p.m. cutoff on the online banking module.
Mortgage center
Residential lending on Connecticut primary residences, with published daily rates and a personalized quote. Advertised rates include a discount for automatic payments from a First County Bank checking account.
Wealth management
Investment and estate planning through First County Advisors. Investment products are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits, and may lose value.
High Yield Checking, in full
And the fine print sits on the same page as the rate.
5.00% APY is a real rate on a real account, and it is conditional. Here is exactly what the account tests at the end of every statement cycle, and exactly what each balance earns when it passes and when it does not.
The three qualifiers
- 01Twelve debit card purchasesAt least twelve qualifying point of sale purchases that post AND settle within the statement cycle. Pending does not count.
- 02One direct depositAt least one direct deposit transaction that posts and settles to this account within the same cycle.
- 03eStatements onlyEnrolled in and agreed to electronic periodic statements, with paper statements discontinued for this account.
What each balance earns
| Daily collected balance | Rate | APY |
|---|---|---|
| $0.01 to $15,000.00, all qualifiers met | 4.89% | 5.00% |
| The portion above $15,000.01, all qualifiers met | .01% | .01% |
| $1.00 or more, any qualifier missed | .01% | .01% |
Interest is paid at the listed rate on the daily collected balance in each tier, creating a blended rate for the whole balance. The interest rate and APY may change after account opening. Minimum collected daily balance of $1.00 to obtain the disclosed APY. Minimum deposit to open, $50.00. Fees could reduce earnings.
Beyond the counter
The rest of it happens outside the branch.
The Bank has served Fairfield County for over 170 years, and is proud to be a strong partner and sponsor of many non-profits and community events. The First County Bank Foundation, Inc., founded at the 150th anniversary in 2001, distributes grants each year to local nonprofit organizations in Stamford and the surrounding communities.
- Hearst Connecticut Media Group Top Workplace, six years running, 2020 to 2025
- Yearly Foundation grants to nonprofits in Stamford and the surrounding towns
- Fee-free cash through the Allpoint network, on top of our own branch ATMs
Come in, call, or open it from the kitchen table.
The CustomerFirst Contact Center answers weekdays 8:30am to 4:30pm on 203-462-4400. Automated phone banking runs 24 hours a day on 203-462-4300. Branch appointments are requested at least 24 hours ahead and confirmed by the branch itself.
CustomerFirst Contact Center · Mon to Fri, 8:30am to 4:30pm
Before you move an account
Still deciding where it should sit?
What does it mean that First County Bank is mutual?
There is no stock and there are no outside shareholders. When The Stamford Savings Bank opened in 1851 its profits were to be paid to depositors in dividends or held in reserve for their greater security, and that definition of a mutual savings bank holds true today.
What has to happen for High Yield Checking to pay 5.00% APY?
Three things inside the statement cycle: at least twelve qualifying debit card point of sale purchases that post and settle, at least one direct deposit that posts and settles, and enrolment in eStatements with paper statements discontinued. Miss one and the balance earns .01% APY for that cycle. The 5.00% APY applies to daily collected balances of $0.01 to $15,000.00.
Which accounts can I open without coming into a branch?
A range of personal checking and savings accounts can be applied for online. Not every account is available to open online, and the minimum deposit to open a checking account is $50.00.
Can I book time with someone at a specific branch?
Yes. Branch appointments are requested at least 24 hours in advance and are not confirmed until a member of that branch's staff contacts you. Routine teller transactions are still quicker at the drive-up or the ATM. You can also call the CustomerFirst Contact Center on 203-462-4400.
Are investment products covered by FDIC insurance?
No. Deposits are FDIC-insured and backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. Investment products, including those offered through First County Advisors, are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits, and may lose value.